Forum Kahedupa Toudani (FORKANI)

FORKANI is a grassroots, Indigenous-led group from the Wakatobi archepelago in Suluwesi, Indonesia. This region was designated as a UNESCO biosphere reserve in 2012 for its stunning marine biodiversity. Since its founding in 2002, FORKANI has become the centre of community activities on Kaledupa Island which aims to achieve sovereignty in the management of coastal natural resources. As an organisation that is deeply rooted in local wisdom, FORKANI is committed to building community capacity and empowering communities to manage natural resources sustainably. 

FORKANI’s mission is to create positive change by combining local wisdom and wise natural resource management. The group facilitates the Wakatobi community in maintaining coastal ecosystems while preserving the cultural values that have long been integral to their identity. By reviving traditional resource management practices and incorporating ideas from younger generations, FORKANI ensures these traditions remain relevant. Through its community dialogues, FORKANI creates spaces for women to voice their concerns about resource access, including fishing grounds, fostering greater inclusivity.

© FORKANI

The FORKANI team emphasises conservation while prioritising Indigenous Peoples and the needs of local communities. They also focus on seagrass ecosystems, using these habitats as educational tools to demonstrate the connection between human activities on land and their impact on ecosystems vital to local livelihoods.

Over time, FORKANI’s efforts have raised community awareness about environmental impacts and ways to reduce harm. Community members now actively participate in data collection, such as monitoring local fisheries. Previously conducted externally and in non-native languages, fisheries monitoring is now participatory, allowing the community to own and understand the research, enabling informed local decision-making. This has led to broader regional impacts; for instance, a local resolution on the minimum diameter of fishing nets, designed to prevent the capture of juvenile fish, was adopted as government regulation.

Supported by Synchronicity Earth’s Ocean Programme, FORKANI continues to strengthen its efforts, driving meaningful change in resource management and environmental stewardship throughout the region.